Payne on the Strike and the Imprisoned

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 87, 8 November 1912, Page 5

Payne on the Strike and the Imprisoned

THE BRIDGE ACROvSS THE

GULF.

Under the auspices of the Socialist Party and before a large audience, Mr. J. Payne, M.P., lectured in the Empress Theatre, Wellington, on Sunday week. "The Bridge Across the Gulf" was the title of the lecture. The lecturer dealt with the aims and objects of Socialism and its relation to presentday evils. Of tho Waihi strike and the miners who had gone to jail, Mr. Payne said it had fallen to the lot of a capitalist Government to place a blot upon history. He denounced the imprisonment of men in connection with the Labor movement-—men who had done no harm except use their tongues and their influence to prevent the breaking down of Industrial Unionism in this country. They had been told by the papers that the strike at Waihi was fizzling out. But tihey knew what the position was. They knew that the miners had the mine-owners in the hollow of their hand. The great plant could not be worked by a few hundred men, and those who were working would come to see that it was in their interest to join with the others in helping forward tho Labor movement. The men of Waihi had been imprisoned for working for the uplifting and stability of unionism in this-country. The political machine of which he was a part was tho biggest farce ho had ever taken part in. There were eight workers, and the rest were dummies. He ridiculed the idea that the workers could obtain justice through political action alone. Until they got a better weapon, the strike was their only means of asserting their rights. They had come to 'a "big crisis in the affairs of the industrial classes of this country. The employers were leaving no stone unturned to combat the progress of Industrial Unionism. Speaking of newspapers. Mr. Payne was of the opinion that they should be licensed, and bo forced to report speeches, inside and outside the House, cither in full or an approved condensation.

The speaker concluded with an exposition of "scheme 45"—its insurance hanking, workers' homes, liquor traffic and land provisions—and claimed that this was the "bridge" between Capitalism and Socialism.